For the second time no transportation...

Isn't it actually wonderful not to have a planning or fixed schedule? 

January 17th this year I made a reservation and got a confirmation for this Single Cab pickup truck to rent for this weekend:

I need to transport my prepared Buddha statue, one of my Yamaha Tricity scooters, my stepladder and a lot of tools and hardware we bought the last months. We made arrangements for loading and, in Surin, for unloading the heavy stuff. 
All this things need to be secured in a safe way so that's why I picked up the car in Chiang Mai at Budget Rent a Car at lunchtime today. 

But, it was for nothing. The car we ordered and got confirmed was not in their assortment (strange because we got a confirmation). The car they wanted to offer us was:

So sorry not to have the possibility to carry my big scooter, stepladder and tools with this one so we felt sad and had to cancel this rental. So for the second time no transportation. Checking again for another option. We still have enough time. It's all part of the journey... ;)

Hopefully we get the money we had to pay by credit card back soon. 



Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Improve the world, start with yourself

Already very early this year pollution levels are raising all over Thailand but especially in the North where I live and in and around Bangkok.

Wikipedia mentions: “Thailand’s dramatic economic growth has caused numerous environmental issues. The country faces problems with air, declining wildlife populations, deforestation, soil erosion, water scarcity and waste issues. Thailand's economic growth has come at great cost in damage to its people and environment.”

Although it seems the economic growth and growth of the tourist industry is on its way back, the environmental problems are not yet on return.

This afternoon I made myself a bit angry, actually sad, about it. For me it seems nobody cares about health and next generations to come and want to LIVE life as well.

My girlfriend calmed me down telling the truth that if we want to change something, we need to start by ourselves.

So, we decided to be mindful and try to be as much as possible aware of environmental care. Just to show there are different ways. The Buddha basically was inspired by nature so let’s try to support nature more.

Planting (fruit) trees, growing organic vegetables, not burning our waste (especially plastics) on the land but to collect our waste and bring it to the government garbage place to collect and maybe even re-use. Use as less as possible plastic (bags), etc.. Indeed, all small things but we have to start somewhere. And yes, in the future sometimes we will have a camp-fire but will use wood free of any chemical.

Although environmental problems (national and worldwide) have risen along with economic growth and urbanization, we want to try to offer with our approach a little contribution to decrease the affected quality of life and greater economic costs.


Frans Captijn

e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Buddha ready and waiting for his journey to Surin

(updated 30 January 2020) The Buddha statue in front of my house is really a traveling Buddha. 

Originally it is from Indonesia and was imported to The Netherlands. Once hidden in a rock and carved by an artist, I fell in love with the expression of his face and feeling the radiating wonderful serene energy of it.

I bought it around 14 years ago in Vlissingen, The Netherlands, and it was guarding the place in Middelburg-NL, where I once lived. From there temporary it moved to friends in Middelburg to wait for transportation to Thailand. And now, again, it will take a journey of around 900 KM to its next, and we hope last, destination. 

Because it is solid rock it is a very heavy statue. In Surin, like here in Mae Rim / Chiang Mai, we will place it on the West side of the Petite Chartres Labyrinth we are going to build, facing East. 


Yesterday, January 16, with a grinder I succeeded to get it free from its base. I received a wooden pallet for transportation and soon his next journey will start. 


Wednesday, January 22, it took four strong men to take it of the base and give it a temporary laying down position for transportation. 






January 30th with respect the Buddha was covered and protected to start his journey. 




Frans Captijn
e-mail: 
pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Temporary time out for even better preparation.

As in every country rules and regulations change. So, also in Thailand.
Our lawyer told us about the changes in land lease agreement fees and about the new, 2020, property tax law. Also at the immigration office this week I learned more about the things we need to organize before we can start building our new property with our own hands. It's all OK and allowed but the paperwork first need to be ready.
We want to do the things all in the right and legal way. 

So far no disturbance in the things we already ordered and will be prepared for us by Thai companies. End of February for instance the electricity cables will be fixed to the poles so we can get power supply and the drilling for our private water well is ordered. 

For the building permission and land lease agreement we need to wait a couple of weeks. Also the Land office need to do a new survey so we can 'cut the land' we got into a registered piece for building (and lease in my name) and the remaining part rice field without lease but ownership of my girlfriend as well. 

No problem. We are not in a hurry and better spend the right amount of time on this before than having disturbances during the process of building.

It's a process full of discoveries.


Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Address for the Knock Down Home / site-office / temporary living space.

Like it seems now, in a couple of months we can get an address on behalf of the Knock Down Home / site-office, our temporary living and working space. 

We went to the Pujaj Baan (head of the village / village mayor) and to the sub district Obator (Building department). 

It worked out normally you cannot get an address for just a site office (as a container). 

Because I designed a space for a bathroom with a Western toilet, warm water shower, wash stand, bedroom and small living space with office, we can get permission. It's seen as a small house. 

We are happy with that because also in relation to Thai immigration laws I need to register my place of stay / address. 

I am asked to hand over a construction drawing to get a formal building permission on paper as well and with that the Pujaj Baan can give us an address to register at the city hall. 
Also great to make delivery of building materials much more easy. 

Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

    

Excavator needed to get tree stumps out of the land and more...

During our surveying of the land end of December last year, we discovered some tree stumps in the land. Actually the most easy way to remove a tree you do not want is to cut it down by ax or saw. Doing it this way, the tree root system remains in the land. 

Removing a tree most of the time is a large decision. In Thailand it is even a larger decision in relation to the spirit world that has a great influence.

Dead or dying trees should be removed for health, safety and aesthetic purposes. Live trees many times should also be removed when they interfere with other trees, the land or other reasons. So whatever the reason why some trees on the land were cut, several tree stumps are still in.

In the Thai tradition and Isaan culture it is believed that building your house upon a tree stump is an invitation to get bad luck and unhappiness. Reason why my girlfriend and her sister advised to take the roots out. 
And although the tree stumps are not from huge trees still, especially in the dry season, it's not an easy way to do it by hand. Burning is an option but not for me. There is more than enough burning in this country and on the other hand I like old tree stumps for future landscaping. 

We already needed soon to hire an excavator for digging a hole for the first septic tank and soak-away field and for a concrete sewage pipe to drain the overload of water of the pond in the rainy season to our own, 2 meters lower part of the land (the remaining 7000 m2 rice field). So this job will be part of the first one day rental period of this machine before we start with placing the site office.

Frans Captijn

e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

The installation of the electricity poles is done.

This morning and afternoon the company who worked on the electricity poles on December 31 returned to finish the installation of the poles.

In about one month they will come back to stabilize and align for a second time, place the first of all two lines of 300 meters (single phase) and prop the last pole that will make the connection with the electricity switchboard on the land.

The first pole (see picture) is near the connection point of the Provincial Electricity Authority cables.



Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com

Not this mini truck. Thanks to incorrect legal papers, lack of trust and bad customer care.

January 3 2020 at 3.00 AM we left from Surin to Bangkok to our appointment for a testdrive in the Tata Super ACE Mint mini-truck. We paid already a reservation fee.

After more than 600 km drive with Kadhow we arrived at the shop and Phatsamon called the seller. She was not there but send a colleague outside. He brought us to another Tata car and told us he was sorry they sold the mini-truck already. I nearly exploded (so did Pat but in a Thai way) and went to the manager in the office.

He came outside and told us the seller gave us wrong information. The car still was available but the transportation office seized it temporarily because they discovered the papers did not match with the engine number of the truck. It seemed a new engine was put in by the former owner and they did not know. So we could not see the car or do the test drive. If we were willing to wait for 1 – 2 weeks they had the time so solve all the problems.

For me and Phatsamon it did not feel comfortable and reliable at all anymore. So we asked out money we paid in advance back. The manager asked us if we were interested in another car. No way. Money back. We drove 7 hours for nothing? Not even a telephone call the day before so we could have saved the time and trip? What a service and customer ‘relations’.

He promised us to transfer our money within two days. Again 'no way'. Phatsamon told we should wait and get it now and were not willing to wait two days and hope to ever get it. After 20 minutes we got our money back.

Saved by the bell!. What is the real story behind this car? What if the police should discover during one of the many police checkpoint checks in this country? And what about (finally to discover) the wrong numbers where in the insurance after getting an accident and actually not to be insured?

An experience on our journey of building…

Happy New Year because saved for a lot of problems…



Frans Captijn
e-mail: pyramidhousethailand@gmail.com